Methods and apparatus for vertically orienting substrate processing tools in a clean space

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides various aspects of support for a fabrication facility capable of routine placement and replacement of processing tools in at least a vertical dimension relative to each other.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of the Utility application,Ser. No. 11/520,975, filed Sep. 14, 2006 and entitled: “Method andApparatus for Vertically Orienting Substrate Processing Tools in aCleanspace;” and is also a continuation in part of the Utilityapplication, Ser. No. 11/502,689, filed Aug. 12, 2006 and entitled:“Method and Apparatus to support a Cleanspace Fabricator;” and is also acontinuation in part of the Utility application, Ser. No. 12/691,623,filed Jan. 21, 2010 and entitled: “Method and Apparatus to SupportProcess Tool Modules in a Cleanspace Fabricator;” and is also acontinuation in part of the application Ser. No. 11/980,850, filed Oct.31, 2007 and entitled: “Method and Apparatus for a CleanspaceFabricator” which is a division of Utility application Ser. No.11/156,205, filed Jun. 18, 2005 and entitled: “Method and Apparatus fora Cleanspace Fabricator.” The contents of each are relied upon andincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods which supportfabricators with routinely replaceable processing tools verticallyarranged in one or more cleanspaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A known approach to cleanspace-assisted fabrication of materials such assemi-conductor substrates is to assemble a manufacturing facility as a“cleanroom.” In such cleanrooms, processing tools are arranged toprovide aisle space for human operators or automation equipment.Exemplary cleanroom design is described in: “Cleanroom Design, SecondEdition,” edited by W. Whyte, published by John Wiley & Sons, 1999, ISBN0-471-94204-9, (herein after referred to as “the Whyte text”).

Cleanroom design has evolved over time to include locating processingstations within clean hoods. Vertical unidirectional air flow can bedirected through a raised floor, with separate cores for the tools andaisles. It is also known to have specialized mini-environments whichsurround only a processing tool for added space cleanliness. Anotherknown approach includes the “ballroom” approach, wherein tools,operators and automation all reside in the same cleanroom.

Evolutionary improvements have enabled higher yields and the productionof devices with smaller geometries. However, known cleanroom design hasdisadvantages and limitations.

For example, as the size of tools has increased and the dimensions ofcleanrooms have increased, the volume of cleanspace that is controlledhas concomitantly increased. In addition, the size of currently knownfabricator processing tools and their floor space mounting surfaces andutility connections result in fabs with ever increasing floor spacefootprints. Consequently, the cost of building the cleanspace, and thecost of maintaining the cleanliness of such cleanspace, has increasedconsiderably.

Tool installation in a cleanroom can be difficult. The initial “fit up”of a “fab” with tools, when the floor space is relatively empty, can berelatively straight forward. However, as tools are put in place and afab begins to process substrates, it can become increasingly difficultand disruptive of job flow, to either place new tools or remove oldones. In some embodiments, it is desirable therefore to reduceinstallation difficulties attendant to dense tool placement while stillmaintaining such density, since denser tool placement otherwise affordssubstantial economic advantages relating to cleanroom construction andmaintenance.

The size of substrate has increased over time as have the typical sizesof fabs. The increased size allows for economies of scale in production,but also creates economic barriers to development and new entries intothe industry. A similar factor is that the processing of substrates iscoordinated and controlled by batching up a number of substrates into asingle processing lot. A single lot can include, for example, 25substrates. Accordingly, known carriers are sized to typicallyaccommodate the largest size lot that is processed in a fab.

It could be desirable to have manufacturing facilities forcleanspace-assisted fabrication, that use less cleanspace area, permitdense tool placement while maintaining ease of installation, whichpermit the use of more simple robotics and which are capable ofefficiently processing a single substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel design forprocessing fabs which arrange a clean room to allow processing tools toreside in both vertical and horizontal dimensions relative to each otherand in some embodiments with their tool bodies outside of, or on theperiphery of, a clean space of the fabricator. In such a design, thetool bodies can be removed and replaced with much greater ease than isthe standard case. The design also anticipates the automated transfer ofsubstrates inside a clean space from a tool port of one tool to another.The substrates can reside inside specialized carriers designed to carryones substrate at a time. Further design enhancements can entail the useof automated equipment to carry and support the tool body movement intoand out of the fab environment. In this invention, numerous methods ofusing some or all of these innovations in designing, operating orotherwise interacting with such fabricator environments are described.The present invention can therefore include methods and apparatus forsituating processing tools in a vertical dimension and control softwaremodules for making such tools functional.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, that are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a vertical fab showing a reversiblyremovable tool body.

FIG. 2 illustrates a back view of a vertical fab embodiment where thefabricator cleanspace walls are see through for illustration of howhandling automation can function.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a fab embodiment with many exemplarytool types indicated.

FIG. 4 illustrates a back view of the fab embodiment of FIG. 3 showingthe automation robotics.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example movement of a substrate by automation toprocessing tools indicated in a shown process flow.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the interaction of automation andelectronics systems operant in a fab embodiment of the type in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a demonstration of how an intellectual property fabautomation system can interact with a fabricator automation system.

FIG. 8 illustrates a patent documentation system based on informationcontained in fabricator automation control systems.

FIG. 9 illustrates a example of a reversibly removable tool body beingreplaced in an example fabricator embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of how a small substrate can be cut outof a larger substrate in order to be further processed in a fabricatorof the types in this patent.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of how a substrate in a substrate carriercan be processed in more than one fabricator of the type in this patent;being transported between said fabs in a carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus which enable thepositioning of processing tools in a fab in both vertical and horizontaldimensions. According to the present invention, a portion of a tool usedto process a material is accessible from within a cleanspace in whichthe material is processed and an additional portion of the processingtool remains outside of the cleanspace environment in which the materialis processed. In addition, the present invention provides for methodsand apparatus to facilitate installation, removal and maintenance of thetools used to process the material.

Reference will now be made in detail to different aspects of somepreferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the samereference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to thesame or like parts. A Glossary of Selected Terms is included at the endof this Detailed Description.

During processing of semiconductor substrates, the substrates (sometimesreferred to as “wafers”) can be present in a manufacturing fabricatorfor many hours. In some embodiments, wafers are contained within acarrier and a self contained environment during the entire period thatthe substrates are not inside a processing tool. A tool port can receivesuch carriers and open them to position the substrates for furtherprocessing by the processing tools.

According to the present invention, tools are placed in a verticaldimension and a clean space is arranged such that one or more toolbodies reside on the periphery of the fabricator space. This allows thetools to be placed and removed in a much more straightforward approachwhen compared to typical clean room designs.

Traditionally, when installing a processing tool into a semiconductorfabricator, riggers had to place the tool in a designated position wherethe tool remained in place for its entire time in the fab. The presentinvention provides for an alternative strategy wherein processing toolscan be routinely placed and removed from a fab location.

One aspect of the present invention therefore provides for supportfixtures which facilitate efficient placement, removal and replacementof a processing tool in a predefined location defined in a matrix ofvertical and horizontal dimensions. Predefined tool placement in turnfacilitates predefined locations for utility interconnections andpredefined locations for material transfer into and out of associatedtool ports. In some embodiments, a support fixture can further provide achassis capable of receiving a processing tool and moving a processingtool from a position external to a cleanspace to a operational locationwherein at least an associated processing tool port is located insidethe cleanspace environment. In some respects, movement of the tool froman installation position to an operational position can be envisionedmuch like a cabinet drawer moving from an outward position to a closedposition.

Other aspects of some embodiments of the present invention include theconnection of support items for proper operation of the processing tool.For example, electrical supplies, chemicals, gases, compressed air orother processing tool support can be passed through the tool chassissupport system via flexible connections. Furthermore, wired or wirelesstransfer of data can be supported by the chassis body. In addition, insome embodiments, a support chassis according to the present inventioncan include communication interfaces with safety systems to provide safeoperation and safe removal and replacement.

Referring now to FIG. 1 a fabricator 101 is illustrated form a toolaccess side, with exemplary tools 102 presented to the fabricatorenvironment. As illustrated, an array of various tools 102 can includesome tools 102 situated above others in the vertical dimension. A toolport 103 is capable of receiving a substrate carrier (not shown) intothe processing tool 102. A tool body 104 in a position for placement orreplacement is also illustrated. This tool body can be situated on atool chassis 105 for locating the tool body into a correct position. Ina correct position, the tool body is situated to perform a process onthe substrate introduced to the processing tool 102. In the fabricator101, may be found an exemplary primary cleanspace identified as item 110and also an exemplary secondary cleanspace identified as item 120.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a view of a fabricator 210 is shownillustrating a side for introducing a substrate to one or more ports ona processing tool 102, wherein the processing tools are arranged in ahorizontal and vertical matrix. By making the clean space wallstransparent, the operation of an embodiment of fabricator automation canbe shown. Item 211 illustrates a vertical rails the robotics can rideupon. A corresponding horizontal rail is shown as 212 and the robotichandler as 213. These robotics can move the carrier from tool to toolthrough the tool ports, for example from tool port shown as item 201 totool port shown as item 202.

In some embodiments, a base fabricator design, with tools 102 on theperiphery and stacked in the vertical dimension can function as afabrication environment. Also, in some embodiments, a rapid thermalanneal tool can be capable of interfacing with an 8″ SMIF port toreceive pods of 25 wafers at a time, wherein the SMIF automation is hardmounted to a fabricator support and gas line connections are welded inplace.

A processing tool of one of various types can also be altered to allowthe tool to be reversibly removable from a fabricator. This methodspecifically relates to altering the tool design to create a tool bodythat can interface with a locating chassis of some kind

Referring now to FIG. 3 a schematic front view of a novel fabricator 301is displayed. A fabricator 301 thus configured creates a novelprocessing environment in its own rights. However, to function thefabricator needs to be populated with processing tools that may performstandard processes used to make state of the art devices on thesubstrate surface. The process environment can include industry standardtools or tools that are specifically designed to be situated in ahorizontal and vertical matrix, and, in some embodiments with multiplesmall clean spaces each clean space sufficient to encompass one toolport.

FIG. 3 depicts how standard processing tool types can be arrayed in afabricator, 301, incorporating the novelty discussed herein. Each of thetools, such as, for example 310, can include on its face an indicator orother description of the tool type. Also for reference, tool 311, showsan example of a tool in the process of being replaced.

Each of the tool types in FIG. 3 can have been designed using themethods discussed previously. For example, LPCVD can refer to the commonLow Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition processing equipment. The typicalstate of the art materials and designs for a reactor of this type arestill operant in this environment; however, it may be made consistentwith single wafer processing. Processing the substrate on a susceptorwith the reactants passing over the single wafer can be such a change.Furthermore, the tool can be redesigned to have its chemical gas linesrouted through a single location where they can be easily connected anddisconnected. The body of the tool, can be designed to sit on a basewhich itself can interface to the chassis that all tool bodies in a fabof this type can sit on. Input to the tooling can be made through thetool port which can involve redesigning the tool body's internal waferhandling systems to interface with this tool port and its location.These general methods are not used in a state of the art fabricator of aconventional design.

In much the same way all the tool types shown can be designed followingthis method.

Embodiments can therefore include, for example, Reactive Ion Etchequipment shown in FIG. 3 and others as ROE. Photo Resist applicationtools which may have baking capability are illustrated as APPLY BAKEtools. Chemical processor focused on single wafer front side andbackside chemical processing for etches and cleans are shown as WETS.Metal deposition equipment capable of depositing Aluminum, Titanium,Copper, and Gold to name a few example metals are show as METALS tools.Chemical Mechanical Polishing equipment are shown as CMP equipment.Photoresist and chemical plasma treatment tooling is shown as ASHtooling. Equipment designed to store carriers in a controlled manner andallow input and removal of the carriers from the fabricator to theoutside environment are shown for example as I/O Store. Epitaxialdeposition tooling is shown as EPI. Plasma enhanced CVD, Plasma reactiveCVD or Physical Deposition of insulator films is shown as INS.Electrical probing equipment is shown as TEST. Physical measurementtooling is shown as MEAS. Chemical Plating tooling, for example forCopper plating, is shown as PLATING. Ion Implantation tooling is shownas IMPLANT. Lithographic tooling is shown either as E-BEAM if the imagewriting is done with an electron beam or OPTICAL LITHO if a laser orother optical light source is used to expose a masked image. These aresome examples of tools that can be innovated from current designs usinga method based on this new fabricator environment.

It may be noted that while the discussion has focused on tooling thathas an already established industry presence and solution this is notthe only tool types that can use this method. In a more general sense,any processing tool even those to be developed can be designed to beconsistent with this fabricator design using the method discussed. Whilethis method does not fully result in a tool solution, it does allow themethods that do result in tooling solutions to be enhanced to allow thatsolution to work in this novel environment.

In the backside view of FIG. 4, aspects are illustrated indicating howthe locations of the various tools in the fabricator environment 401together with the ports 410, that are on each tool body. A substratecarrier can be handed off from a logistics robot, 420, to such a toolport, 410. The process can work by a tool of any type having alreadyhanded off a carrier to the robot 420. Robots 420 can move in one ormore of a vertical direction along the rails of type 412 and along thehorizontal dimension along rail 411 until it is situated at theappropriate location in front of a processing tool's port. In FIG. 4 therobot is shown to have moved in front of an ASH tool. The robot 420 canthen place the carrier into the ash tool's port so that it can receive aprocess appropriate to that tool type.

FIG. 5 takes the step forward by illustrating how a series of steps(items 511,512, 513, 514, and 515 in an exemplary sense) can beperformed by movements discussed above relating to FIG. 4. In item 501 aflow diagram in a written form, which can be electronically stored in acomputing mechanism, can schematically represent the movement, andhandoffs of the logistic robots to the tool ports of the varioustooling. In such a manner, processing of substrates can be representedin software code. It is also important to note that by having such aprocess flow in an electronic computer, that the automation systems ofthe fabricator can be automatically directed on how to process asubstrate. IN some embodiments, multiple substrates can be coincidentlyprocessed in the fab environment with the computing mechanism directingthe movement of each substrate from one tool port to another and alsoproviding instructions to each processing tool 102 via datacommunication. The instruction can include, for example, a command toreceive a substrate and to perform certain processes on the receivedsubstrate.

By directing a substrate to move in and out of numerous tools to receivenumerous process steps in a much longer version of the processingexample depicted in FIG. 5 devices of various types can be manufacturedon the substrates. While the resulting devices may not differ in thismethod of manufacturing from a more typical one, it may be apparent thatthis method of manufacturing the device in how the process tools arearrayed in a clean space, in how the substrates are moved to those toolsis novel in its own right.

This description has described the general case of how to make a deviceof a particular process type. It may be clear that the generality isanticipated to allow for novel ways of making devices of any type.Specific known types are specifically claimed for the novel aspects ofthis method in affecting a processing of substrates to manufacture thespecific device type. Devices can be made for Complementary Metal OxideSemiconductor devices CMOS, for MOS, for Bipolar, for BiCMOS, forMemory, for III/V, for Power, for Communication, for Analog, forDiscrete, for Microcontrollers, for Microprocessors, for MicroelectronicMachines (MEMS) and sensors, for Optical, for Bioelectronic devices.These specific device types should not limit the generality of anydevice type that can be built on a substrate being manufactured with thegeneral method described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 6 an illustration of how such automation can beset up in a fabricator type according to the present invention isillustrated. At 607, a fabricator computing system can have control overdata communication extending within and outside of a fabricator. In someembodiments, the fabricator computing system 607 can interact with anexternal engineering system for the purpose of exchanging technicaldata, process data, flow data, imaging data for example to be passed onto Electron Beam equipment, for electrical test data and the like. Thefabricator computing system 607 can also retain the substrate historylogs for what processing has occurred in them and also what processingis specified to occur in the future. It can control the automationsystems to move substrates via robotic automation associated with thefabricator and also to direct the processing tools on how to process andhandle substrates that are given to it. Although a computer is shown forillustration, the sophistication of this main processing systems can bequite high with redundant processing units, significant data storagecapabilities and significant communication capabilities over networks,radio frequency control and the like. Some embodiments therefore includea storage device which accesses a storage medium. The storage medium caninclude executable code and data for executable by a processor tocontrol various aspects of the fabricator tools and the roboticautomation.

According to the present invention, a fabricator computing system mayinteract with one or more of: a design system 601 for device modeling,imaging and test simulation; engineering systems 602 functional tocreate and administer processing flow directions and recipes for processtools; fab control systems 603 functional to control process tools,facilities systems and job lot electronics; automation and logisticscontrolling computers 604 for programming robotics automation, status ofsubstrate movement and scheduling; and systems for creating andadministering design data and image layout 606 as substrate processingoccurs in an automated processing flow as may be represented by anexemplary flow depicted in item 605.

Control systems and handling mechanisms are therefore able to cause thefabricator to act on single substrates at a time. Embodiments cantherefore include each substrate being processed in unique ways orpredefined processes being repeated on individual substrates.Embodiments of the present invention can therefore be particularly wellsuited for the purposes of prototype or low volume manufacturing.

Referring now to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, design and controlenvironments shown in FIG. 6 can also be enhanced such that design of aparticular device can be represented by a number of functional blocks701. With the unique ability to create a single small substrate,particularly when a lithograph utilized is a direct write operation, asfor example, electron beam lithography, it can be plausible that adesigner of a circuit can integrate predefined function blocks ofvarious kinds into a design from an external source to create an imagedesign as shown by item 705.

A fabricator environment can control processing of a submitted designwhile the designer can indicate both the process flow and the designdata to process the substrate. In some embodiment a library 701 ofdesign blocks and process flows can be made available to a designer. Thedesigner may indicate a series of predefined design blocks 703 to beutilized to create a new design in the aggregate and in the orderspecified by the designer. In some embodiments, a designer may requestto use design blocks and processing flows that are the intellectualproperty of other entities, a licensing system 702 can track such usageand automatically apply license terms, license fees 704 and royalty typeaspects for the use of either the design block or the process flow orboth.

Parameter files and design rules 706 may be communicated with a designsystem network 706 and process sequences and recipes can be communicatedwith an engineering network 707. In some embodiments, one or more of thesystems can be located external to the fabricator.

Embodiments can also include communication of image data 708 andprocessing flow directions and recipes for process tools 709 to and froma fabricator computing system 710. The fabricator computing system 710can generate and store design data 711 for image layouts and automatedprocessing flows. An automated process flow, can include, for example, aseries of step names and processes.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an exemplary license system architecture 800 isillustrated according to the present invention, wherein data retentioncapabilities of a main processing unit 710 of a fabricator can beintegrated into an intellectual property system 806 that automaticallyprepares intellectual property ownership documents. The licensing systemcan be operative via software to receive data flow from any of thefabricator components and extract data which can be compiled intointellectual property. The data can include, for example: process flows,process conditions, designs, duration of process steps, sequence ofprocess steps and any other variables of process steps implemented byprocess tools and robotic automation included in a fabricator. Documentscan include, for example, support for patent filing documents 808,copyrights or other similar concepts. According to the presentinvention, the license system architecture 800 can also be the mannerthat owners of particular intellectual property can license theseparticular properties to additional fabricator units of the typeenvisioned in this description. The licensing schemes can incorporateany of the variety of typical schemes including encryption oridentification key tracking or the like; however, the use of suchschemes for design flows and design data is new. It is also possible insome embodiments that fab control systems may track and record variousinformation including for example the result of electrical measurements,physical measurements, logistics flow information and information of thelike which may be depicted as item 805.

The data that is collected by the main computing systems, 810, may beprocessed and displayed to the user. The user may interact with thedisplayed information to extract relevant information as shown in theprocess step item 807. In some embodiments, this data may be animportant input into the creation of the patent filing documents, 808.

Design aspects which may be stored in an electronic storage and accessedby a design system may include, by way of non-limiting example: CMOStype device flow; elements of a bipolar type device flow; elements of amemory type device flow; elements of a III/V type device flow;Microprocessor designs; Power Circuit designs; Communication designs;Analog designs; Discrete designs; Erasable Memory designs; TMicrocontroller designs; MEMS designs; Optical designs;Bioelectronicdesigns; Chemical Mechanical Polishing processes; perform Electron BeamLithography processes; Optical Lithography processes; Immersion OpticalLithography processes; Rapid Thermal Annealing or Reaction processes;Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition; Chemical Vapor Deposition; Physical;and Vapor Deposition processes.

Referring now to FIG. 9, as has been mentioned, processing tools 910 inthe fabricator according to the present invention can be easily replacedby access from a side other than the side used to receive a substrate.As can be seen in this diagram, a tool residing in the fabricator 901,that in FIG. 3 was indicated as an implant tool for its position, cansit on a chassis 902 that can be extended from a position within asecondary cleanspace, 950, when the tool needs to be removed.

In an exemplary fashion, a first boundary 903 and a second boundary 904may partially define a cleanspace by defining a region 906, which insome embodiments may be a primary cleanspace, with a different airparticulate cleanliness than a second region 907, which may represent anexternal region that is external to both the primary cleanspace and theextents of all tools in the fabricator. In some embodiments, a flow ofair may be present in the primary cleanspace. This flow may in someembodiments have the characteristics of laminar flow; in otherembodiments, unidirectional flow and in other embodiments a flowcharacteristic that is different from laminar or unidirectional flow.From an exemplary sense, in FIG. 9, the air flow may proceed fromboundary 903 to boundary 904 and in some cases the flow may originatefrom components upon the boundary of 903 or in other cases within orbehind the boundary. The airflow in this example may proceed through anair receiving wall which may be represented by 904.

In some embodiments, an identical tool, 920, of the type as 910 can bein the vicinity so that when the facilities lines 905 of the tool 910are disconnected; tool pod 920, can be moved onto the chassis, movedinto the correct position in the fab and then have the facilities linesconnected.

As also indicated in FIG. 9, item 901, there is a region shown forexample as 907 which is external to the fabricator and the tools withinthe fabricator. In many embodiments, this region may not be acleanspace. In some embodiments, a substrate carrier, shown for exampleas item 1040 in FIG. 10, may be located in the external space, 907 andthen be introduced into the fabricator. In some embodiments, the carriermay be introduced into the cleanspace from a receptacle located in aspecialized type of tool, as shown by item 930. Alternatively, in someembodiments it may be possible to introduce the substrate carrierthrough a receptacle, 940 located at the periphery of the primarycleanspace or the fabricator cleanspace.

In other embodiments, a process tool 910 can be include a disparatecleanspace pod which encloses all or part of the process tool 910. Forexample, the cleanspace pod may only encompass a port portion of aprocessing tool and thereby be functional to receive a substrate into acleanspace environment and process the substrate while it is maintainedin a cleanspace environment. In other embodiments, a pod may fullycontain a processing tool 910, such that during replacement of aprocessing tool in a horizontal and vertical matrix, a full cleanspacepod which includes a processing tool within it, is removed and areplacement cleanspace pod is inserted, wherein the replacement podincludes within it a replacement tool intact. In this fashion,processing tools may be removed for service or updates and shipped to aservice destination while the processing tool remains contained withinits own cleanspace pod. In addition, a support matrix for pods can beconstructed in a warehouse type environment and cleanspace pods, eachpod containing a process tool, may be arranged in the matrix to easilyconstruct a cleanspace fabricator. In some embodiments, it is evenfeasible to arrange such a matrix in a mobile unit, such as, forexample, in a tractor trailer type container, a ship, or temporaryfacility such as a military camp.

A different novel concept relating to the novel fab type can be thefinishing of substrates that are generated as a cutout piece from aneven larger substrate. Referring now to FIG. 10, for example, an eightinch substrate, 1010, can have a 1 inch substrate, 1030, cutout by adicing tool 1020. Such tool can be a diamond saw type tool, a highpressure water jet tool, and a laser cutting tool or the like. Once thesmaller substrate is prepared from the larger one, the smaller substrate1030 can be placed in a wafer carrier 1040 and readied for furtherprocessing in the novel fabricator type. There can be numerous reasonsthat such an activity can be done for. For example, if a large volumefabricator wanted early yield information it can have a large wafer cutinto a center piece and a few edge pieces and these can be prioritizedthrough the novel fab in a similar process flow to provide testabledevices in a very quick timeframe. Although an 8 inch wafer has beendescribed in the given example, any size substrate can also be treatedsimilarly.

FIG. 11 shows another general concept. Since the substrates are storedin carriers that protect the substrate, such substrates can be processeddifferent fabricators of the type described herein. The substrate canbegin its processing in a fabricator of type 1110. After some level ofprocessing it can be removed from said fabricator in a single substratecarrier, 1130, and then transported by some means 1140. When it arrivedat another appropriate fabricator, the substrate can be replaced intothe next fabricator of the type described herein, 1120, and processingcan recommence. In this manner, in some embodiments, fabricators ofdifferent sizes and capabilities can be utilized to complete processingof a particular substrate.

Some embodiments of the present invention which relate to the specificapplication of semiconductor fabrication have been described in order tobetter demonstrate various useful aspects of the invention. However,such exemplary descriptions are not meant to limit the application ofthe inventive concepts described herein in any way. Embodiments maytherefore include, for example, applications in research and generationof: pharmaceutical products, nanostructure products and otherapplications which benefit from the availability of cleanspace andmultiple processing tools.

Glossary of Selected Terms

-   -   Air receiving wall: a boundary wall of a cleanspace that        receives air flow from the cleanspace.    -   Air source wall: a boundary wall of a cleanspace that is a        source of clean air flow into the cleanspace.    -   Annular: The space defined by the bounding of an area between        two closed shapes one of which is internal to the other.    -   Automation: The techniques and equipment used to achieve        automatic operation, control or transportation.    -   Ballroom: A large open cleanroom space devoid in large part of        support beams and walls wherein tools, equipment, operators and        production materials reside.    -   Batches: A collection of multiple substrates to be handled or        processed together as an entity    -   Boundaries: A border or limit between two distinct spaces—in        most cases herein as between two regions with different air        particulate cleanliness levels.    -   Circular: A shape that is or nearly approximates a circle.    -   Clean: A state of being free from dirt, stain, or impurities—in        most cases herein referring to the state of low airborne levels        of particulate matter and gaseous forms of contamination.    -   Cleanspace: A volume of air, separated by boundaries from        ambient air spaces, that is clean.    -   Cleanspace Fabricator: A fabricator where the processing of        substrates occurs in a cleanspace that is not a typical        cleanroom, in many cases because there is not a floor and        ceiling within the primary cleanspace immediately above and        below each tool body's level; before a next tool body level is        reached either directly above or below the first tool body.    -   Cleanspace, Primary: A cleanspace whose function, perhaps among        other functions, is the transport of jobs between tools.    -   Cleanspace, Secondary: A cleanspace in which jobs are not        transported but which exists for other functions, for example as        where tool bodies may be located.    -   Cleanroom: A cleanspace where the boundaries are formed into the        typical aspects of a room, with walls, a ceiling and a floor.    -   Cleanroom Fabricator: A fabricator where the primary movement of        substrates from tool to tool occurs in a cleanroom environment;        typically having the characteristics of a single level, where        the majority of the tools are not located on the periphery.    -   Core: A segmented region of a standard cleanroom that is        maintained at a different clean level. A typical use of a core        is for locating the processing tools.    -   Ducting: Enclosed passages or channels for conveying a        substance, especially a liquid or gas—typically herein for the        conveyance of air.    -   Envelope: An enclosing structure typically forming an outer        boundary of a cleanspace.    -   Fab (or fabricator): An entity made up of tools, facilities and        a cleanspace that is used to process substrates.    -   Fit up: The process of installing into a new clean room the        processing tools and automation it is designed to contain.    -   Flange: A protruding rim, edge, rib, or collar, used to        strengthen an object, hold it in place, or attach it to another        object. Typically herein, also to seal the region around the        attachment.    -   Folding: A process of adding or changing curvature.    -   HEPA: An acronym standing for high-efficiency particulate air.        Used to define the type of filtration systems used to clean air.    -   Horizontal: A direction that is, or is close to being,        perpendicular to the direction of gravitational force.    -   Job: A collection of substrates or a single substrate that is        identified as a processing unit in a fab. This unit being        relevant to transportation from one processing tool to another.    -   Laminar Flow: When a fluid flows in parallel layers as can be        the case in an ideal flow of cleanroom or cleanspace air. If a        significant portion of the volume has such a characteristic,        even though some portions may be turbulent due to physical        obstructions or other reasons, then the flow can be        characterized as in a laminar flow regime or as laminar.    -   Logistics: A name for the general steps involved in transporting        a job from one processing step to the next. Logistics can also        encompass defining the correct tooling to perform a processing        step and the scheduling of a processing step.    -   Matrix: An essentially planar orientation, in some cases for        example of tool bodies, where elements are located at discrete        intervals along two axes.    -   Multifaced: A shape having multiple faces or edges.    -   Nonsegmented Space: A space enclosed within a continuous        external boundary, where any point on the external boundary can        be connected by a straight line to any other point on the        external boundary and such connecting line would not need to        cross the external boundary defining the space.    -   Perforated: Having holes or penetrations through a surface        region. Herein, said penetrations allowing air to flow through        the surface.    -   Peripheral: Of, or relating to, a periphery.    -   Periphery: With respect to a cleanspace, refers to a location        that is on or near a boundary wall of such cleanspace. A tool        located at the periphery of a primary cleanspace can have its        body at any one of the following three positions relative to a        boundary wall of the primary cleanspace: (i) all of the body can        be located on the side of the boundary wall that is outside the        primary cleanspace, (ii) the tool body can intersect the        boundary wall or (iii) all of the tool body can be located on        the side of the boundary wall that is inside the primary        cleanspace. For all three of these positions, the tool's port is        inside the primary cleanspace. For positions (i) or (iii), the        tool body is adjacent to, or near, the boundary wall, with        nearness being a term relative to the overall dimensions of the        primary cleanspace.    -   Planar: Having a shape approximating the characteristics of a        plane.    -   Plane: A surface containing all the straight lines that connect        any two points on it.    -   Pod: A container separating an interior space comprising one or        more tooling components from an exterior space.    -   Polygonal: Having the shape of a closed figure bounded by three        or more line segments    -   Process: A series of operations performed in the making or        treatment of a product—herein primarily on the performing of        said operations on substrates.    -   Robot: A machine or device, that operates automatically or by        remote control, whose function is typically to perform the        operations that move a job between tools, or that handle        substrates within a tool.    -   Round: Any closed shape of continuous curvature.    -   Substrates: A body or base layer, forming a product, that        supports itself and the result of processes performed on it.    -   Tool: A manufacturing entity designed to perform a processing        step or multiple different processing steps. A tool can have the        capability of interfacing with automation for handling jobs of        substrates. A tool can also have single or multiple integrated        chambers or processing regions. A tool can interface to        facilities support as necessary and can incorporate the        necessary systems for controlling its processes.    -   Tool Body: That portion of a tool other than the portion forming        its port.    -   Tool Port: That portion of a tool forming a point of exit or        entry for jobs to be processed by the tool. Thus the port        provides an interface to any job-handling automation of the        tool.    -   Tubular: Having a shape that can be described as any closed        figure projected along its perpendicular and hollowed out to        some extent.    -   Unidirectional: Describing a flow which has a tendency to        proceed generally along a particular direction albeit not        exclusively in a straight path. In clean air flow, the        unidirectional characteristic is important to ensuring        particulate matter is moved out of the cleanspace.    -   Unobstructed removability: refers to geometric properties, of        fabs constructed in accordance with the present invention, that        provide for a relatively unobstructed path by which a tool can        be removed or installed.    -   Utilities: A broad term covering the entities created or used to        support fabrication environments or their tooling, but not the        processing tooling or processing space itself. This includes        electricity, gasses, air flows, chemicals (and other bulk        materials) and environmental controls (e.g., temperature).    -   Vertical: A direction that is, or is close to being, parallel to        the direction of gravitational force.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with specificembodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications andvariations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of theforegoing description.

Accordingly, this description is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variations as fall within its spirit andscope.

1. A method of producing substrates; said method comprising: fixingmultiple substrate processing tools in a matrix comprising at least twoof the processing tools oriented in a vertical dimension in relation toeach other wherein said multiple processing tools are at least partiallylocated in a fabricator cleanspace comprising a first boundary andsecond boundary and each of the processing tools is capable ofindependent operation and removable in a discrete fashion relative toother processing tools; storing a substrate in a substrate carrier whichmaintains a cleanspace environment while the substrate is transportedbetween two or more of the processing tools; receiving the substratecarrier into a first processing tool port, wherein each tool is sealedto a respective opening in at least one of the a first boundary and asecond boundary; removing the substrate from the substrate carrier intothe first tool port; performing a first process on the substrate in thefirst tool; containing the substrate in the substrate carrier subsequentto the performance of the first process; transporting the substratecarrier to a second tool port; removing the substrate from thecleanspace comprising the substrate carrier into a cleanspace comprisingthe second tool port; and performing a second process on the substratein the second tool.
 2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprisingprocessing a substrate portion separated from a substrate previouslyprocessed.
 3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step ofplacing the first processing tool into a first position on a supportmatrix; and placing the second processing tool into a second position onthe support matrix, wherein the second position is located in at least avertical dimension in relation to the first position.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the first position and the second position each comprisea cleanspace operative to maintain a clean environment around a toolport associated with the respective positions.
 5. The method of claim 1additionally comprising the step of selecting the first process and thesecond process to be performed from a composite of available processesindicated on a system interface.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein thecomposite of available processes is determined according to the type ofprocessing tool associated with the first tool port and the second toolport.
 7. The method of claim 6 additionally comprising the step ofchanging a processing tool type associated with at least one of thefirst tool port and the second tool port, wherein the processing tool iscontained within a pod; and updating available processes to correlatewith the change in processing tool.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein thestep of changing a processing tool type associated with at least one ofthe first tool port and the second tool port additionally compriseschanging a pod comprising an interior portion that is a clean space andassociated with the respective tools.
 9. The method of claim 1additionally comprising the steps of: automatically storing a record ofthe first process performed and the second process performed; generatinga user selectable menu comprising an indication of the first process andthe second step; and generating an indication of license termsassociated with the use of the first process step and the second processstep.
 10. A substrate fabricator comprising: a support structure forfixing in place two or more substrate processing tools into position inat least a vertical dimension relative to each other; wherein the two ormore substrate processing tools are at least partially located in afabricator cleanspace comprising a first boundary and a second boundaryand each of the processing tools is capable of independent operation andremovable in a discrete fashion relative to other processing tools;connections for connecting facility lines to each of the two or moresubstrate processing tools; and robotic automation for transportingsubstrates between the two or more substrate processing tools.
 11. Thesubstrate fabricator of claim 10, additionally comprising a pod forcontaining at least a portion of a single substrate processing tool in apod_cleanspace.
 12. The substrate fabricator of claim 11 wherein the podcontains the entire processing tool in the pod cleanspace.
 13. Thesubstrate fabricator of claim 10 wherein the automation for transportingsubstrates between the two or more substrate processing tools comprisesmovement in a vertical dimension and movement in a horizontal dimensionand locating mechanisms capable of positioning a substrate carrierrelative to a particular tool port.
 14. The substrate fabricator ofclaim 13 wherein the automation comprises a plurality of rails and alocomotion mechanism.
 15. The substrate fabricator of claim 13additionally comprising: multiple tool port positions located on ahorizontal and vertical matrix; a computerized system with a datastorage means and a processor, wherein said computerized systemcomprises a record of a type of processing tool located at each of themultiple tool locations; and communication apparatus for indicating tothe locating mechanisms a type of processing tool at a particular toolport position located on the matrix.
 16. The substrate fabricator ofclaim 15 wherein the computerized system additionally comprises a listof functions that each processing tool is capable of and a userinterface for receiving an indication of a process to be performed on asubstrate.
 17. The substrate fabricator of claim 10 further comprising:a receptacle for receiving a first substrate carrier holding one or moresubstrates into a third tool from an environment outside of both thefabricator cleanspace and the extent of any of processing tools;automation for moving at least one substrate in one of the firstsubstrate carrier or a second substrate carrier from the third tool intothe fabricator cleanspace.
 18. The substrate fabricator of claim 17further comprising: an air receiving wall located horizontally to thesaid carrier during the movement of said carrier.
 19. The substratefabricator of claim 10 further comprising: a receptacle for receiving asubstrate carrier holding one or more substrates directly from anenvironment outside of both the fabricator cleanspace and the extent ofany of processing tools into the fabricator cleanspace.
 20. The methodof claim 1 additionally comprising: placing a carrier holding one ormore substrates into a tool from an environment outside of both thefabricator cleanspace and the extent of any of said processing toolsfixed in said matrix wherein said matrix comprises elements such as toolbodies which are located at intervals along two or more axes.